Background

History

Pinot Grigio is thought to be a clone of Pinot Noir. "Pinot", meaning "pinecone" in French, could have been given to it because the grapes grow in small pinecone-shaped clusters. Wines produced also vary in colour from a deep golden yellow to copper, through to Rose wines with an attractive light shade of pink. The grapes grow in small clusters (hence the pinecone shape), and upon ripening, often display a pinkish-gray hue, although the colours can vary from blue-grey to pinkish-brown.

Regional info

Pinot Grigio grapes are grown most prominently in the north of Italy. The northeastern regions, known collectively as the Tre Venezie or simply the Venezie, set the pace in Italy in the crafting of modern wines. The determinant quality factor in all three regions is the climate influenced by the Alps, of which the Venezie are on the sunny side, protected from the damp cold of northern Europe.